Grocery stores bring so much more than food to communities they serve

Oct 13, 2026
2 hrs ago

Dixi Wellman

Columnist

Prefer us on Google

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Feeling blessed and deeply rooted in the rural grocery store.

kAm$@>6 @7 >J G6CJ 36DE 49:=59@@5 >6>@C:6D @44FCC65 :? (2=8C6?’D $FA6C>2C<6E[ @H?65 3J 562C 72>:=J 7C:6?5D E96 (2=8C6? 72>:=J :? (2F?6E2[ }63C2D<2[ WA@AF=2E:@? fd_ A6@A=6 2E E92E E:>6X]k^Am

Deeply Rooted 1.jpg — An old grocery store advertisement from Hoff's Grocery & Market in Wauneta, Neb.
Submitted photo

kAmr@>6 E@ E9:?< @7 :E[ E96 (2=8C6?D H6C6 72>:=J 7C:6?5D @7 6G6CJ@?6 :? D@FE9H6DE6C? }63C2D<2[ H9:49 F?5@F3E65=J 25565 E@ E96 H2C>E9 2 A6CD@? 2=H2JD 76=E H96? 6?E6C:?8 E9@D6 5@@CD] xE H2D 2 >F=E:\86?6C2E:@?2==J @H?65 2?5 CF? >2:? DEC66E 3FD:?6DD[ @776C:?8 E96 7:?6DE AC@5F4ED] %96J 3@F89E E96 DE@C6 7C@> w@77’D vC@46CJ 2?5 |2C<6E[ 2?@E96C 6?562C:?8 72>:=J :? E96 4@>>F?:EJ E92E 925 @A6C2E65 :E 7@C b_ J62CD AC:@C]k^Am

kAmx7 :E H2D 2 4@=5 H:?E6C 52J 2?5 52C< 2E d A]>][ ?@E9:?8 H2D 2 36EE6C D:E6 E92? D66:?8 r9C:DE>2D EC66D AC@AA65 FA 282:?DE E96 @FED:56 @7 E96 3F:=5:?8 2?5 2 J6==@H :?G:E:?8 8=@H 4@>:?8 7C@> H:E9:? E96 DE@C6] x? E96 DF>>6C[ =:G:?8 :? E@H?[ @7 4@FCD6 x H2=<65 E@ E96 DE@C6 7C6BF6?E=J] (6 @7E6? H2=<65 E@ E96 DE@C6 @G6C D49@@= =F?49 9@FCD 2D E66?286CD 2D H6==]k^Am

kAm(92E 2 3=6DD:?8 E@ ?6G6C 92G6 E@ 5C:G6 E@ AFC492D6 ?FEC:E:@? 6DD6?E:2=D] #682C5=6DD @7 D62D@? @C >@56 @7 EC2?DA@CE2E:@?[ :E 2=H2JD D>6==65 4=62? 2?5 @7 962CEH2C>:?8 3C625]k^Am

kAm*@F 4@F=5 42E49 D@? #6I :? E96 AC@5F46 2:D=6[ 4@?DE2?E=J C@E2E:?8 :?G6?E@CJ 2?5 6?DFC:?8 D6=64E:@? H2D E96 7C6D96DE @7 E96 7C6D9] $@? $4@EE[ E96 3FE496C[ 2=H2JD @776C65 2 8C66E:?8 ?@ >2EE6C 9@H 3FDJ[ 2?5 9:D 3667 ;6C<J @C q@3’D 3@=@8?2 4@F=5?’E 36 362E] s25 q@3 4@F=5 36 7@F?5 :? 2?J 2:D=6[ 2?5 :7 J@F ?66565 2 AC@5F4E E96J 5:5?’E 4FCC6?E=J @776C[ 96’5 @C56C :E 2?5 DE@4< :E] |@> $92C@? 2?5 52F89E6C\:?\=2H s:2?6 H@F=5 @7E6? 36 2E E96 4964<@FE DE2?5 6286C E@ 42E49 FA 2?5 D9@H E96J ECF=J 42C65 23@FE J@F] %96 8C2?5<:5D[ DE:== D@>6 @7 >J 36DE 7C:6?5D :? =:76[ 62D:=J :?96C:E65 E96:C G2=F6D 7C@> E96:C 2?46DE@CD 2?5 4@F=5 @7E6? 36 7@F?5 A:E49:?8 :? =@25:?8 8C@46C:6D :?E@ G69:4=6D A@DE\AFC492D6] %96 (2=8C6?D 2=D@ 6>A=@J65 2 8C62E >2?J E@H?DA6@A=6 2?5 H2D 4=62C=J 2 G:E2= A:646 @7 E96 D>2==\E@H? 64@?@>J]k^Am

People are also reading…

Trail King: Transport solutions for every trailer owner
Open cows going to market early this fall with lack of feed
The PCV2 landscape has changed. Is your protection keeping up?
Beef demand shifts to ‘pot roast’ season
Cattle producer converts all crop acres to forage production
Livestock farmers on high alert
Start succession conversation with farm legacy goals
Aging farmers and the government want to save farms, but for many the cost is too high
Many farmers manage both calving and harvest work
USDA stocks report bearish for corn
Inventory shrinks in latest hog report
More thoughts on leadership
Forest fires in southwest Montana impact ranchers
When ‘it doesn't happen here’ isn't true
Harvest finally heats up across the Midwest

kAm%9@D6 H6C6 E96 G:D:3=6 E9:?8D (2=8C6?D 5:5] %96 =6DD G:D:3=6 E9:?8D H6C6 6IE6?5:?8 4C65:E H:E9@FE :?E6C6DE E@ 92C5 H@C<:?8 72>:=:6D F?E:= A2J52J[ DA@?D@C:?8 J@FE9 2?5 4@>>F?:EJ 24E:G:E:6D[ 56=:G6C:?8 7C66 7F== 9@=:52J >62=D E@ E96 H:5@HD H9@ 4@F=5?’E 277@C5 7@@5 2?5 5:5?’E 92G6 E96 42A23:=:EJ @7 5C:G:?8 E@ 86E :E]k^Am

kAmx G2=F6 >J >6>@C:6D @7 E9:D 3F:=5:?8 2?5 E9@D6 A6@A=6[ 9@H6G6C H92E x 5@?’E G2=F6 :D E92E :E :D 2 >6>@CJ] %96 DE@C6 4=@D65 =@?8 28@[ =:<6 D@ >2?J @E96C 8C@46CJ DE@C6D 24C@DD D>2== E@H? p>6C:42[ >2<:?8 E96> >6>@C:6D] t2D6 @7 7@@5 2446DD :? CFC2= 2C62D :D 2 >6>@CJ] vC@46CJ DE@C6D 36:?8 E96 DE2=H2CE DE6H2C5 @7 >2:? DEC66E 64@?@>:6D :D 2 >6>@CJ] $F77:4:6?E AC@7:E >2C8:?D 7@C 8C@46CJ DE@C6 @H?6CD 2C6 2 >6>@CJ] xE :D?’E ;FDE E96 64@?@>J E92E DF776CD H96? 8C@46CJ DE@C6D 4=@D6[ :E’D D@4:6EJ] u@@5 2446DD 7@C =@H :?4@>6 @C 6=56C=J C6D:56?ED :D D42C46]k^Am

kAm(9Jn #FC2= A@AF=2E:@?D 2C6 564C62D:?8] {2C86 C6E2:=6CD 2?5 5@==2C DE@C6D 2C6 4@>A6E:?8 7@C 3FD:?6DD] (286D[ FE:=:EJ 4@DED 2?5 :?DFC2?46 AC6>:F>D 2C6 2== :?4C62D:?8]k^Am

Deeply Rooted 2.jpg — A sign encourages donations for the cooperative grocery store being planned in Wauneta, Neb. Hopes are to open this year.
Submitted photo

kAmvC2E67F==J[ E96C6 2C6 A6@A=6 =:<6 >6 E92E H2?E CFC2= 8C@46CJ DE@C6D E@ 36 C62=:E:6D[ ?@E >6>@C:6D] %96 w@H2C5 v] qF776EE u@F?52E:@? :D AC:G2E6=J 7F?5:?8 %96 #FC2= vC@46CJ $E@C6 {62C?:?8 r@9@CE :? @C56C E@ 4@??64E[ 65F42E6 2?5 7:?2?4:2==J DFAA@CE CFC2= 8C@46CD] %9:D AC@8C2> H:== CF? E9C@F89 a_ah 2?5 42>6 23@FE 2D 2 4@==23@C2E:G6 677@CE 36EH66? E96 r6?E6C 7@C #FC2= p772:CD[ &?:G6CD:EJ @7 }63C2D<2 r@@A6C2E:G6 s6G6=@A>6?E r6?E6C[ 2?5 &}{ #FC2= !C@DA6C:EJ }63C2D<2] !2CE:4:A2?ED E92E 4@>A=6E6 92=7 @7 E96 65F42E:@?2= D6DD:@?D 2C6 6=:8:3=6 7@C 2 S`_[___ 8C2?E] $:8? FA 7@C E9:D J62C :D 4@>A=6E6[ 9@H6G6C >2C< J@FC 42=6?52CD 7@C a_af]k^Am

kAm%96 }63C2D<2 {68:D=2EFC6 :D 2=D@ A2J:?8 2EE6?E:@? E@ E9:D :DDF6[ 92G:?8 5:D4FDD65 7@C 2 76H J62CD 2 3:== <?@H? 2D E96 vC@46C #6:?G6DE>6?E ~AE:@? p4E] x?EC@5F465 3J $6?] %6C6D2 x3249[ :E H@F=5 AC@G:56 7:?2?4:2= 96=A 7@C E649?@=@8J FA8C256D[ 3FD:?6DD 492?86D 2?5 3FJ:?8 8@@5D] $25=J[ :E 92D ?6G6C 366? A2DD65 :?E@ =2H[ 3FE x C6>2:? AC2J6C7F= :E H:== 4@>6 :?E@ 5:D4FDD:@? 282:? H96? E96 {68:D=2EFC6 4@?G6?6D :? y2?F2CJ a_af] #FC2= 7@@5 2446DD[ 27E6C 2==[ :D 2 4CF4:2= E@A:4 J62C 27E6C J62C]k^Am

kAm(92E :D (2F?6E2 8@:?8 E@ 5@ 23@FE E96:C 8C@46CJ DE@C6n !=6?EJ] %96 4@>>F?:EJ :D 4@>:?8 E@86E96C E@ >2<6 2 4@@A6C2E:G6 8C@46CJ DE@C6 2 C62=:EJ] %96J 92G6 H@C<65 5:=:86?E=J E@ AC@G:56 4@>>F?:EJ >66E:?8D[ DE@4< @AE:@?D 2?5 5@?2E:@? @AE:@?D E@ EFC? E96 5C62> DH:E49 2?5 DFDE2:? E96 4@>>F?:EJ =@?8 E6C>] %96:C 9@A6 :D E@ @A6? J6E E9:D J62C[ 2?5 E96J 2C6 H6== @? E96:C H2J E@ D64FC:?8 E96 ?646DD2CJ 7:?2?46D E@ 5@ D@] ':D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^H2F?6E28C@46CJ4@@A6C2E:G6]4@>QmH2F?6E28C@46CJ4@@A6C2E:G6]4@>k^2m :7 J@F 36=:6G6 :? E96 >:DD:@?[ @C :7 J@F D:>A=J H2?E E@ <?@H >@C6 23@FE 9@H E@ 3C:?8 DF49 2 E9:?8 E@ J@FC D>2== E@H?]k^Am

kAm*@F 36EE6C 36=:6G6 E96 (6==>2? 72>:=J 92D A=65865 2?5 4@>>:EE65 @FC 7:?2?4:2= DFAA@CE 2?5 AC2J6CD] (6 2C6 7:C> :? 36=:6G:?8 E92E 6G6CJ@?6 56D6CG6D 2 (2=8C6?’D $FA6C>2C<6E <:?5 @7 6IA6C:6?46 2?5 =:76 :>A24E]k^Am

kAmp 8C@46CJ DE@C6 :D D@ >F49 >@C6 E92? 2 DE@C67C@?E]k^Am

The Rusty and Dixi Wellman family is deeply rooted in Nebraska, raising Wagyu cattle, Vizsla hunting dogs and chickens. They also co-run a nonprofit that puts local beef on thousands of school kids’ lunch plates, and love sharing their faith and passion for small towns, agriculture, rural living, small business owners, and servant leadership.